I sat in silence for a moment, nodding my head in understanding.
“I never thought I’d say this, but I guess I can let go of you now.” He looked back down to the ground as he said these final words.
“Thank you,” I said after a thoughtful moment, and I meant it.
Grayson walked away and went to Jax to shake his hand. I wasn’t sure what was said between them, but the warm look on Jax’s face told me everything I needed to know.
* * *
On the drive back to Dallas, Jax held me close to him in the back seat as I called Jada from Jax’s phone to let her know I was okay.
“Perla Janine Fae, don’t you ever do something like this to us again! We were so worried. Thank God you’re okay,” she cried.
I could hear inhaling through shaky sobs. She turned her head from the phone to tell Uncle Dante that it was me, and that I was okay.
“I’ll be home soon, Jada-Lou,” I promised before I hung up and handed Jax back his phone.
“He admitted to killing my parents,” I said, telling Jax what I had learned from Sullivan that day. The tears made their way back to the surface, and I cried for yet another time in the span of that day.
He held me tighter and listened as I recounted the story as Sullivan had told me, sparing none of the gory details. It hurt so much, but releasing it was like shedding a burdensome weight I’d been carrying around with me for the last eight years of my life.
My parents were finally at peace, and maybe now I could be, too.
We rode in silence for a while longer, and as we were getting closer to my apartment, Jax turned to me and said, “What happened between you and Grayson to cause you to break up?”
“Why do you ask?” I replied, wondering why he would want to know.
“He went to a lot of trouble for you today. I’m just wondering if I need to view him as my competition,” he answered with a cheeky smile.
“Grayson and I were together for about a year. The night it ended was the night I walked in on him in bed with another woman.” I was amazed at how much it didn’t hurt for me to say that any longer. Then I added, “So you can see how it hurt me seeing you with another woman after you had been pursuing me. It’s just not something I can take in a relationship.”
“I see…” he said. “So are any feelings still there?”
I leaned over, bringing my lips to his, and kissed him with everything I had.
“Does that answer your question?” I asked, smiling at him as my fingers intertwined with his.
“I suppose it does,” he replied and smiled.
“So does this mean you’re not still only interested in a casual relationship with me?” I asked before I let myself fall too hard, if it wasn’t already too late for that.
He leaned over to kiss me, just as passionately as I had just given to him, bringing his hands up to caress my face.
“Does that answer your question?” he asked when he broke the kiss, brushing a wisp of hair behind my ear.
“I suppose it does,” I answered. “Though, maybe, but you’d better repeat that, just to be sure.”
Jax wouldn’t leave my side that night, and it was the first of many nights that he stayed with me at my apartment. I felt safe and sated as I fell asleep that night. Safe, perhaps, because I was lying in his arms, or perhaps because the monster from my past was no more. Maybe both.
Sated because Jax had made love to me that night, so passionately, and so tenderly, that I never wanted him to let go of me.
I knew I would always be safe in his arms, because he had shown me I could feel that way. Actions spoke so much louder than words, after all, and he had done so much to make me feel safe.
Yes, there was still a phrase he had once said to me that skirted the anxieties at the back of my mind.
That seems very naïve. Don’t most relationships end at some point or another?
Maybe it was true, but it was no longer naïve. I knew from experience now, that the biggest regrets I would ever have were the chances I didn’t take. And neither of us was willing to give up on the other, no matter what our previous beliefs or attitudes used to dictate.
TWENTY
Six Months Later
NARRATOR
The expansive ballroom was decorated masterfully, and a crowd of people filled a seating area that faced a stage. Perla climbed the stairs to the stage and approached a podium with a microphone. The hum of the crowd silenced to hear as she began to speak.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I’d like to thank you all for being here tonight, supporting Heart for Kids,” she began.
She paused for a moment as the crowd lightly applauded.
“Thanks to all of you and your generous donations here tonight, we have raised over seven-hundred-thousand dollars!”
She waited again as the crowd applauded once more, louder this time.
She continued. “And on behalf of Heart for Kids, I have a special announcement for you tonight. As you know, all the money raised by our charity stays right here in this community, helping our neighbors, our families, our friends.”
All eyes remained on her as she went on. “Lisette Williams, will you please come up here and join me?”
From the back of the room, Lisette stood. Confusion and surprise were evident on her face as she looked at the others sitting around her. Amelie shrugged, pretending to be just as surprised as Lisette, while Jada squealed, unable to hide her excitement. Jax and Ezra sat coolly in their seats as Jax motioned for Lisette to go on.
Lisette made her way to the front and climbed the stairs to join Perla on the stage. She looked timid and unsure as her eyes remained glued on Perla to see what this was all about.
Perla then continued her speech. “Lisette, the board members of Heart for Kids caught wind of your situation and how hard you’ve worked for the sake of your younger siblings. With the money raised here tonight, they would like to present you with a home, bought and paid for, as a place for you and your brother and sister to live.” Perla beamed with joy as she delivered the last sentence.
The crowd made an even louder applause that lasted a little longer than the previous ones, and Perla waited to speak again as she took Lisette by the hands. Lisette’s eyes began to well up with tears, and her heart caught in her throat as she tried to swallow.
“But that’s not all. I also have it on good authority that the attorneys at Fitzgerald, Vandergild, and Morrison have offered to represent you, pro-bono, to help you bring those babies home where they belong,” Perla announced.
At that, Lisette could no longer hold back her tears. Her hands left Perla’s as they cupped her mouth in disbelief. Then she wiped her tears and choked out as best as she could into the microphone, “Thank you so much!”
Perla addressed the crowd once more. “Thank you all for being here and making this all possible tonight. Please enjoy the dancing. The hors d’oeuvres will continue to be passed around, along with drinks, so everyone, please enjoy,” she finished. At that, Perla left the stage and walked back to their table with Lisette.
“I can’t believe it,” said Lisette. “Seriously, I don’t know how to thank you for this.”
“Lisette, you deserve it, and more importantly, your siblings deserve it. You may have lost your parents, but that doesn’t mean there’s no room for second chances if you leave yourself open to accept it,” Perla explained, and they hugged.
Once back at the table, Jax stood and took Perla’s hand, asking her for a dance. Jada and Ezra followed close behind, along with Amelie and her fiancé, leaving Victoria and Dante at the table alone.
“You planned another fine event, Victoria. Beautiful, as always,” Dante complimented with his confident smile. He held a flute of champagne in the air as if to gesture a toast.
“Thank you, but I have to share some of the credit with your beautiful niece. Perla is a fantastic woman, you know. I loved working together with her on this event. She’s like the daughter I never had,” Victoria mused,
as her eyes crinkled from her proud smile. “She and Jax have really hit it off, wouldn’t you say? I can hardly get a moment alone with her, myself, that he isn’t hovering somewhere close by. She is a lovely girl.”
“Yes, she is a special young lady. I’m very proud of the women both my nieces have become,” Dante agreed. “And… I wouldn’t be surprised if the next event we find ourselves planning is a wedding.” He chuckled as he eyed the two young couples who held each other tenderly on the dance floor.
“You’re probably right,” Victoria agreed with a knowing look. “You’re probably right.”
A Note From the Author
Thank you for reading Tragedy and Desire. Your review will help others decide whether to purchase and read this story or not, so I hope you won’t mind taking a moment to leave a quick review. It is most appreciated and immensely helpful.
Thank you!
Nicole R. Locker
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Tragedy and Desire: An Adult Romance Page 19
